Art in Times of Corona: Corona in the city – A digital exhibition about Amsterdam

What is the role of the museum in times of corona? Public institutions are reconsidering their functioning in a socially distancing society. Closed to the public, museums are looking for innovative ways to fulfil their primary tasks of collecting, preserving and exhibiting cultural heritage.

One of them is the Amsterdam Museum. Their upcoming exhibition Corona in the City echoes the experience of life in Amsterdam as lived by the city’s inhabitants during times of COVID-19. The exhibition does not focus on the statements and rigid facts on the virus that are offered by politicians and experts, but on the everyday stories, experiences, and emotions of people in the city. From 30 April on, all inhabitants, visitors, and fans of Amsterdam are invited by the museum to submit their personal stories.

The submissions will be collected and assessed by a diverse team of curators, artists, and makers, who will create a selection that will be on show in the online exhibition as of mid-May. The Amsterdam Museum encourages everyone to share a contribution: from health care workers to school students continuing their education at home, from artists to entrepreneurs. Through this digital exhibition, the Amsterdam Museum and its partners will create a unique real-time collection of immaterial heritage, that continues to grow in a dynamic and participatory manner.